(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates primarily to three-sided, totally enclosed containers which, by hand, may be rapidly collapsed to conserve time and space during storage; and, which may be rapidly expanded by hand to form a lid-covered, structurally strong, liquid tight, space insulated container. Industrial material handling boxes, equipment carrying cases, insulated food and beverage containers, trash containers, and tote pails are product examples in this field.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Totally enclosed collapsible and expandable containers are known in the art. However, the tendency is for time consuming modes of expansion, collapsing, and gaining interior access. Due to the requirement for collapsibility, liquid tightness and insulation tend to be ineffective, while structural rigidity is a common problem.